Echoes
by DestinyCrusader
Summary: "I'm not evil; others just aren't worthy of my presence." Wishing-Fire's 100 Theme Challenge with Vanitas as the main character.
1. Vanitas

**Hey there! DestinyCrusader here with her very first CHALLENGE! This is Wishing-Fire's 100 theme challenge, with Vanitas as the main character. There will be a lot of VanShion in this challenge, only because I adore it so much ;)**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Kingdom Hearts**

**Words: 100**

**Theme: Introduction**

**Character(s): Vanitas**

* * *

_Vanitas_

I am nothing.

I am the embodiment of fear and sorrow, of dreams that have been lost and were never found. I am the spitting image of vanity, for I flaunt all that one desires, all that one is unable to achieve.

I am everything.

I am the epitome of anguish and sacrifice, of failed attempts to caress unreachable happiness. I am the essence of darkness, the shadow of what was once the truth. I am but a hollow vessel that no one seeks, that no one wishes to understand.

And I fear no one ever will.

I am…

Empty.


	2. Bittersweet

**Alright, here's the next one. Just to make this clear to everyone, I'm not sure if this challenge altogether will follow a specific storyline. Although I am aiming for that, many things probably won't have anything to do with the rest of the prompts, ;)**

**Words: 100**

**Theme: Love**

**Character(s): Vanitas, Sora, Xion**

* * *

_Bittersweet_

"She's staring at you."

I didn't reply.

"Hey! She's blushing!"

The energetic knucklehead next to me was grinning, prodding my shoulder ever five seconds to get my attention. He was drawing close to the moment I would spring out of my seat and land a punch on his face. I didn't, however; I was getting used to keeping my emotions in check.

Another nudge. "Look!"

My eyes flashed upwards. Indeed, she was staring at me, but as my frightening eyes met her sapphire blue ones, she hastily averted her gaze.

"I think she's in _love!_"

There is no such thing.


	3. Questions

**Maybe I'm moving **_**too **_**fast, eheh. I was thinking maybe update every day but it's too much fun! I just might get done before summer ends…**

**A thank-you to RoxasLuvsCookies and Zexion14Xion6 for the reviews!**

**Speed aside, this will be my last update for the day :)**

**Words: 100**

**Theme: Hate**

**Character(s): Vanitas, Xion**

* * *

_Questions_

"Hey, you!"

She had cornered me in the boys' bathroom—territory she should have been afraid to enter. "Do you hate me?"

I found her question perplexing, for I'd done nothing that would imply animosity.

"Do you?" She asked again, the question burning in her eyes. I shook my head and tried to move past her before she got hurt. She blocked my path unwisely.

She had no idea what I could do to her.

"No," I answered finally, "I don't. You've given me no reason to."

"Then…" she paused, biting her lip, "Why don't you give me a chance?"


	4. Wandering Thoughts

**EEP! Sorry for the two-day gap, guys, I hope this makes up for it. Another might be coming tonight but I'm not promising anything in case I come up with nothing for the next prompt.**

**Also, yes, I admit Xion was a bit OOC in that last chapter. Thanks for the reviews, guys!**

**Words: 100**

**Theme: Vacation**

**Character(s): Vanitas, a certain red-head, and reference to Roxas ;)**

* * *

_Wandering Thoughts_

_I needed a vacation._

Sighing, I stared down at the blurry words of my textbook, tapping the back of my pen against the desk. The teacher gave me several dirty looks—she had something against tapping noises, apparently—which I ignored, and soon enough she realized that none of her ugly frowns were affecting me.

"_Why don't you give me a chance?"_

"Hey," came a hurried whisper from beside me, "Could you pass this to the blond guy over there?"

I snatched the badly folded scrap of paper from the redhead's hands and tore it to shreds.

"Oops."

He scowled.


	5. Destruction is Beauty

**And…here's the next one! I kind of liked how this turned out. I also like how this challenge is taking me unexpected places ;)**

**Words: 100**

**Theme: Growing Up**

**Character(s): Vanitas**

* * *

_Destruction is Beauty_

The red flames stretched upwards, as if they wanted to engulf the very sky and take the stars with them. How quickly they seemed to swallow all that existed and reduce it to ashes.

How…beautiful.

"Hey, kid!" Someone was screaming in my ear, asking if I'd dialed 911, but I was too mesmerized to respond, to care.

Police sirens.

An hour later, no traces of the splendor remained.

There was a hand on my shoulder. "Was that your house, kid?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

A sigh. "I'm afraid you're just gonna have to grow up faster then, eh?"

_I already have._


	6. Fight

**This is actually pretty fun. But frustrating when I'm only a few words above the limit and I have no idea what to remove D: As always, critique is very welcome! ;)**

**Words: 100**

**Theme: Trouble's brewing**

**Character(s): Vanitas, reference to Loz (FFVII)**

* * *

_Fight_

There was something in the crowd, like a fleeting whisper passed from one person to another. Trouble was brewing in the English hallway, and although I craved to fight, it was best not to get involved this time. The raging headache was part of the reason.

"I heard she walked up to Loz and slapped him in the face!"

A snicker. "No way! Who?"

"Some emo girl."

I stopped in my tracks before whirling around and grabbing the kid's collar, yanking him upwards.

"_Who?_"

"I don't know! It was…that quiet girl with the weird blue eyes!"

I couldn't breathe.

_Xion._


	7. Weakness

**I was planning to update this regularly. *Sigh* If you haven't guessed it yet, one of my new year resolutions was to now try again to update this regularly. Thanks to Kiryn, Inita, and Keiji Maeda's Super Bass for the reviews! I'm loving the feedback. Hopefully, by the end of this challenge, I'll be a better writer than I am now at the seventh theme.**

**Words: 100**

**Theme: First Encounter with an Animal**

**Character(s): Vanitas**

* * *

_Weakness_

The first time I ever saw a butterfly, I didn't marvel at its beauty. Instead, I snatched it out of the air and wondered how hard I would have to press it between my fingers for it to die.

I don't think I understood its suffering as I watched its wings beat uselessly against the palms of my hands. I don't think I understood its pain as it attempted to free itself, but ultimately failed.

Or maybe I understood it far too well.

I couldn't let myself near beautiful things. They are weak, and I, in due course, destroy them.


	8. Late-Night Revelation

**Alright, here's the next one. Just to point this out, drabbles will not follow chronological order, but eventually, different events will fall into place. **

**Thanks to Miwasaki Yuki rin and ohnoitisKatie for the reviews! All feedback is appreciated.**

**Words: 100**

**Theme: First Love**

**Character(s): Vanitas, Xion.**

* * *

_**Late-Night Revelation**_

"Hey, Vanitas?"

Xion's voice shook slightly. I opened my eyes to look at her, standing at the doorway of our bedroom, hugging herself in the cold. I sat up, rubbing my eyes.

"Xion, it's three a.m. What's wrong?" It wasn't unusual for her to wake up at night from a nightmare—it happened often, but I made sure I was always here when she did.

"I…" she appeared nervous. "Who was…your first love?"

My eyes widened slightly. What a strange question to ask. Was that the only reason she had woken me up?

Somehow, her question made me smile.

"You."


	9. More Questions

**A continuation of the event that started in the last chapter; thanks to ****ohnoitisKatie**** and Miwasaki Yuki rin for the reviews—yep, I just had to give in to the cuteness temptation. It doesn't last for much longer, I'm afraid…**

**Words: 100**

**Theme: First Crush**

**Character(s): Vanitas, Xion**

* * *

_More Questions_

Xion, however, wasn't quite satisfied with my answer. "Are you lying?"

I leaned back in bed. "Why would I?"

"Please." Her voice cracked.

"Xion, what's the matter?"

She shook her head. "I just… I still don't…"

I stood up, and within seconds I was in front of her, taking her head, leading her towards the bed. "Xion, I fucking _married _you for God's sake." I tried again, forcing her to sit down beside me. I didn't let go of her hand. "What more do you want?"

"I…" she took a deep breath, and then asked, "What about your first crush?"


End file.
